The Elecsys® AMH assay demonstrated good precision under routine conditions, and is suitable for determining AMH levels in serum and lithium-heparin plasma.

In squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels are often elevated. This multi-center study evaluated the technical performance of a new Elecsys Ò squamous cell carcinoma assay, which measures serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 and 2 levels in an equimolar manner, and investigated the potential of squamous cell carcinoma antigen for differential diagnosis of cervical, lung, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Assay precision and method comparison experiments were performed across three European sites. Reference ranges for reportedly healthy individuals were determined using samples from banked European and Chinese populations. Differential diagnosis experiments determined whether cervical, lung, or head and neck cancer could be differentiated from apparently healthy, benign, or other malignant cohorts using squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels alone. Squamous cell carcinoma antigen cut-off levels were calculated based on squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels at 95% specificity. Repeatability coefficients of variation across nine analyte concentrations were 5.3%, and intermediate precision coefficients of variation were 10.3%. Method comparisons showed good correlations with Architect and Kryptor systems (slopes of 1.1 and 1.5, respectively). Reference ranges for 95th percentiles for apparently healthy individuals were 2.3 ng/mL (95% confidence interval: 1.9-3.8; European cohort, n = 153) and 2.7 ng/mL (95% confidence interval: 2.2-3.3; Chinese cohort, n = 146). Strongest differential diagnosis results were observed for cervical squamous cell carcinoma: receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels (2.9 ng/mL cut-off) differentiate cervical squamous cell carcinoma (n = 127) from apparently healthy females (n = 286; area under the curve: 86.2%; 95% confidence interval: 81.8-90.6; sensitivity: 61.4%; specificity: 95.6%), benign diseases (n = 187; area under the curve: 86.3%; 95% confidence interval: 81.2-91.3; sensitivity: 61.4%; specificity: 95.0%), and other cervical cancers (n = 157; area under the curve: 78.9%; 95% confidence interval: 70.8-87.1; sensitivity: 61.4%; specificity: 86.7%). Squamous cell carcinoma may also aid in the differential diagnosis of lung cancer. The Elecsys squamous cell carcinoma assay exhibited good technical performance and is suitable for differential diagnosis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma in clinical practice.

This study aimed to investigate whether changes in progastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) levels correlate with treatment response and can be used to optimize clinical management of patients with small-cell lung cancer. Patients with small-cell lung cancer (any stage) receiving chemotherapy were eligible. ProGRP was measured in serum/plasma at baseline and after each chemotherapy cycle using the Elecsys® ProGRP assay (Roche Diagnostics). Treatment response was assessed by computed tomography scan. The primary objective was to examine whether changes in ProGRP levels correlated with computed tomography scan results after two cycles of chemotherapy. The prognostic value of ProGRP among patients receiving first-line chemotherapy was also assessed. Overall, 261 patients from six centers were eligible. Among patients with elevated baseline ProGRP (>100 pg/mL), a ProGRP decline after Cycle 2 was associated with nonprogression (area under the curve: 84%; 95% confidence interval: 72.8–95.1; n = 141). ProGRP changes from baseline to end of Cycle 1 were predictive of response, as determined by computed tomography scan 3 weeks later (area under the curve: 87%; 95% confidence interval: 74.1−99.2; n = 137). This was enhanced by repeat measurements, with a 92% area under the curve (95% confidence interval: 85.3−97.8) among patients with ProGRP data after both Cycles 1 and 2 (n = 123); if a patient experienced a ≥25% decline in ProGRP after Cycle 1, and ProGRP remained stable or decreased after Cycle 2, the probability of finding progression on the interim computed tomography scan at the end of Cycle 2 was almost zero (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 71%). Both ProGRP levels at baseline and at the end of first-line chemotherapy were prognostic; the latter provided a moderately improved hazard ratio of 2.43 (95% confidence interval: 1.33–4.46; n = 110) versus 1.87 (95% confidence interval: 1.04–3.37; n = 216). In summary, for patients with small-cell lung cancer and elevated baseline ProGRP levels, ProGRP may be a simple, reliable, and repeatable tool for monitoring response to chemotherapy and provide valuable prognostic information.

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